Presently used methods for the preparation of nickel active battery material involve chemical precipitation or electrochemical precipitation of nickel (II) hydroxide, as taught for example by Feduska et. al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,579,385 and Hardman in U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,227. However, chemical precipitation processes produce a gelatinous material which is difficult to load into a conducting plaque, and which requires dozens of formation or conditioning cycles to achieve maximum performance. Electrochemical precipitation processes are costly and represent a disproportionate share of the raw materials expense in nickel batteries.
Faber, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,436,267, described the use of ozone to produce a Ni(III) hydroxide type material. Faber describes the failure to produce a reaction by ozone contact with Ni(II) hydroxide, apparently in dried powder form, suspended in a neutral or alkaline liquid medium. Faber did succeed in an ozone reaction using dry powdered Ni(II) hydroxide without a liquid medium. Faber produced a Ni(III) hydroxide type battery material by oxidation of dry, finely divided Ni(II) hydroxide powder in a gas stream containing ozone and inert gas, at a temperature of between 20.degree. C. and 110.degree. C. The Faber process, it would appear ozonizes only a minute amount of the powder volume, primarily the surface of the Ni(II) hydroxide particles, even if small particles are used, and even if long exposure is allowed in combination with particle vibration. What is needed, is a process where a substantial portion of the Ni(II) hydroxide mass in the process is subjected to ozone contact, to provide optimum conversion to a Ni(III) hydroxide type material.